Comings, Goings & Promotions

George Player, CPE, FMA, who has served as director of Engineering Services at BWH for 20 years, has been named vice president for Facilities and Operations at the Brigham.

In his new role, Player oversees Engineering, Environmental Services, Environmental Affairs, Security, Transportation, Food Services and Materials Management. Player reports to David McCready, senior vice president for Surgical, Procedural and Imaging Services, and Facilities and Operations.

Player first joined BWH as assistant director of Engineering Services, a role he held for a year before being promoted to director. Prior to working for BWH, he was a project manager for facility support services at William A. Berry and Son, Inc., where he supported the Brigham’s Engineering Department.

Earlier in his career, Player worked as director of Facilities for the former Malden Hospital and, prior to that, as a project manager for Building Technology Engineers. Player received his bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Steve Dempsey

Dempsey Appointed Executive Director of Planning and Construction

Steve Dempsey, MBA, was promoted to executive director of Planning and Construction at BWH earlier this month.

Dempsey served as director of Planning and Construction for the past 16 years. As executive director, he will continue to oversee and contribute to capital planning, financial analysis and space planning for the 100-plus projects the department manages at any given time. Dempsey reports to David McCready, senior vice president for Surgical, Procedural and Imaging Services, and Facilities and Operations.

Dempsey joined Partners HealthCare in 1997 as part of the formation of its Real Estate and Facilities team, followed by his promotion to Planning and Construction director in 2000. He was a Partners employee stationed at the Brigham until 2015, when he officially joined BWH. Earlier in his career, Dempsey worked in the private sector for a commercial real estate development firm that partnered with BWH. There, he managed the finances of the Connors Center for Women’s Health & Gender Biology and Tower lobby construction projects.

Dempsey earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Bowdoin College and a master of business administration from Fordham University.

Sarah Gardent

Gardent Named Executive Director of Patient Experience

Sarah Gardent, MBA, began as the first executive director of Patient Experience at the Brigham on Feb. 6. A former Deland Administrative Fellow, Gardent most recently served as director of Service Excellence and Special Projects at BWFH.

In her new role, she will be responsible for developing, leading, monitoring and modifying the overall organizational approach to excellence in patient, family and guest services. In collaboration with executive leadership, management and staff throughout the Brigham community, Gardent will oversee the implementation of strategic initiatives that improve the patient and family experience, as well as the experience of employees.

In her role at BWFH, Gardent helped transform the patient experience by implementing service training, creating a hospital-wide service recovery program and integrating service standards.

Prior to that, she served as a Deland Fellow at BWH from 2009 to 2010. She also worked as a senior project manager for Clinical Excellence at BWH before joining BWFH in 2011 as a senior project manager. Gardent received her master of business administration degree from Cornell University and her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire.

Keith Murphy

Murphy Joins Brigham Health as Director of Process Improvement

Keith Murphy, MHA, has joined Brigham Health as director of Process Improvement for Analytics, Planning and Process Improvement.

Murphy is responsible for developing and implementing Brigham Health process improvement strategies, in addition to overseeing multi-department improvement projects in the areas of service excellence, quality and safety, operational efficiency, cost management and clinical care redesign. He also leads efforts to train and coach Brigham Health staff about the role of process improvement and the tools for implementing it.

Before joining the Brigham, Murphy was the director of Lean Thinking at South Shore Hospital. He and his team partnered with managers, directors and senior leaders to implement process changes that drove improvements in quality, safety, service and financial performance.

Prior to that, he worked at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, assisting with operational and strategic projects aimed at improving operational efficiencies, patient experience and quality of care. Earlier in his career, he worked at Women and Infants Hospital in Rhode Island, where he led efforts to improve the patient experience and develop a culture of patient- and family-centered care.

He earned his master of health care administration degree from Salve Regina University and his bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University.

Philip Roberts

Roberts Appointed Executive Administrator in Surgery

Philip Roberts, MBA, has been appointed executive administrator for the Department of Surgery.

Roberts serves as the lead department administrator for Surgery and oversees the administrative structure for all matters related to clinical, research, education and general administration within the department’s central operations and its 10 divisions. Reporting to Chair of Surgery Gerard Doherty, MD, Roberts shapes the administrative structure of the department to best meet its needs and mission. He also partners closely with the department’s division chiefs and associate chairs, and works in close partnership with BWH and BWPO leadership.

Roberts has worked at BWH since 2013, initially as administrative director in Surgical Oncology and then as senior director of Operations in Surgery.

Roberts began his career as a project manager at Meditech and Quincy Medical Center, and then became senior manager of Clinical Business Development and Clinical Planning at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He earned his master of business administration degree from the Boston College Carroll Graduate School of Management and his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Vermont.